XyWrite

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Word processor

title: "XyWrite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1984-software", "windows-word-processors", "word-processors", "software-programmed-in-assembly-language"] description: "Word processor" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XyWrite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Word processor ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]

FieldValue
nameXyWrite
logo
screenshot
collapsible
authorDavid Erickson
released{{cite magazine
urlhttps://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1987-05-26/page/n204/mode/1up?q=xywrite
date26 May 1987
magazinePC Magazine
titleMajor Word Processors Get Better
pages199–233
firstMerv
lastAdrian
volume6
issue10
discontinued
ver layout
latest release versionMS-DOS, 4.18 (1993)
Windows, 4.13
latest release date
latest preview date
repo
operating systemMS-DOS, Windows
language count
genreWord processor
website
::

| name = XyWrite | logo = | logo alt = | logo caption = | screenshot = | screenshot alt = | caption = | collapsible = | author = David Erickson | developer = | released = {{cite magazine | url = https://archive.org/details/PC-Mag-1987-05-26/page/n204/mode/1up?q=xywrite | date = 26 May 1987 | magazine = PC Magazine | title = Major Word Processors Get Better | pages = 199–233 | first = Merv | last = Adrian | volume = 6 | issue = 10 | discontinued = | ver layout = | latest release version = MS-DOS, 4.18 (1993) Windows, 4.13 | latest release date = | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | repo = | programming language = | operating system = MS-DOS, Windows | platform = | size = | language = | language count = | language footnote = | genre = Word processor | license = | alexa = | website = | standard = | AsOf = XyWrite is a word processor for MS-DOS and Windows modeled on the mainframe-based ATEX typesetting system.{{cite magazine | magazine = BYTE | url = https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_10-09_1985-09_10th_Anniversary_Issue/page/n300/mode/1up | title = XyWrite II Plus | pages = 397–302 | date = September 1985 | first = Rubin | last = Rabinovitz | volume = 10 | issue = 9 | magazine=InfoWorld | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SlEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13 | title = Feature-rich XyWrite 4.0 is almost ready to roll | date = 21 December 1992 | first = Jeanette | last = Borzo | page = 13 | volume = 14 | issue = 51

Features

  • Its file format consists of plain text (IBM437, or so-called "extended ASCII") with markup (within guillemets: « »). This capability is useful for typesetters who need to convert to various formats, e.g., LaTeX. A plug-in for ANSI characters is available.
  • XyWrite is written in assembly language, allowing it to run faster than word processors written in a higher level language.
  • It has a flexible macro-programming language (XPL) that offers many advantages for quick search and replace, copy-editing and reformatting of raw text. Users continue to write and share macros extending XyWrite features (printing to USB devices, for example).
  • Plain-text, editable configuration files allow easy customization of the keyboard—for remapping keystrokes and for execution of complex commands with individual keystrokes—as well as customization of what is loaded on launching the program.
  • Commands can be typed in directly on a command line, without the use of a mouse. Commands are usually in simple English, such as "Save," "Print," and "Search," or their shorter versions, such as "Sa" for "Save" (commands are case-insensitive).
  • Up to nine files can be opened for editing at one time in separate "windows" that allow quick copy-and-paste among several files. Two files may be opened on the same screen for easy comparison of changes; a XyWrite command will do the comparison automatically, putting the cursor on the location at which the two files first differ (from which the user can move to the next difference).
  • Version 4 (or Signature) has full WYSIWYG graphical editing capabilities including on-screen display of bitmaps and Bitstream Speedo fonts.
  • The Microsoft Windows version provided version 4 in a Windows environment, in WYSIWYG, without losing its command line driven interface. It supported the standard Windows' True Type fonts along with Speedo fonts.{{cite magazine | magazine = PC Magazine | title = XyWrite for Windows: Command Line Holdout In a GUI World | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qRzjFB6Ic3oC&pg=PA54 | page = 54 | first = Edward | last = Mendelson | date = 25 January 1994 | volume = 13 | issue = 2

History and current usage

XyQuest was founded in June 1982 by former ATEX employees Dave Erickson and John Hild. Its most successful product was XyWrite III Plus, which attracted a devoted following among professional writers.

Announced in September 1989,{{cite magazine | magazine = InfoWorld | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tDwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA5 | title = Word Perfect, Borland Scramble To Join GUI Fray | date = 12 November 1990 | page = 5 | first = Paul | last = Worthington | volume = 12 | issue = 46 | magazine = PC Magazine | title = Improved XyWrite IV | date = 13 February 1990 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ByIl6BeV7z8C&pg=PT55 | page = 54 | volume = 9 | issue = 3 | magazine = InfoWorld | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cFAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT32 | title = IBM | pages = 1,101 | date = 4 February 1991 | volume = 13 | issue = 5 | magazine = Computerworld | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bJfLxHMXCSkC&pg=PA6 | title = DisplayWrite, XyWrite on the way out | date = 11 March 1991 | page = 6 | first = Patricia | last = Keefe | volume = XXV | issue = 10 | magazine = PC Magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hnvCf6WlcYcC&pg=PA11-IA16 | title = Signature | first = Edward | last = Mendelson | page = 206-210 | date = 26 May 1992 | volume = 11 | issue = 10

But on the eve of Signature's release, IBM announced a strategic decision to withdraw completely from the desktop software market, shocking XyQuest and leaving Signature in limbo. When a prospective new alliance with Lotus did not materialize, XyQuest regained the marketing rights to the software and restickered the ready-to-ship Signature packages pasting over the IBM logo.{{cite magazine | magazine = PC Magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=uEkrL23rU98C&pg=PP39 | title = Signature: XyWrite's Power Plus WYSIWYG Editing | first = Edward | last = Mendelson | pages = 37,39 | date = 28 January 1992 | volume = 11 | issue = 2 | magazine = PC Magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=rNcvvlvuwlIC&pg=PA21 | title = XYQUEST RELEASES LONG-AWAITED UPGRADE TO DISPLAYWRITE AND XYWRITE | page = 59 | date = 14 January 1992 | volume = 11 | issue = 1

However, the changes IBM had insisted on were a liability where the III Plus user base was concerned. Some key reviews (such as in The Wall Street Journal) were harsh, and there were complaints that 4.0 was buggy and slow. Moreover, in the years since the last major XyWrite release, WordPerfect had cemented its hold on the DOS word processor market. Already financially strained by the long development cycle for Signature, by the end of 1992 XyQuest was bleeding money. The sale to The Technology Group ensued.

While there were a few maintenance releases of 4.0 after the acquisition, The Technology Group's major commitment was to developing XyWrite for Windows. But XyWrite remained a niche product, unable to compete for the business user against Word for Windows, WordPerfect for Windows, and Ami Pro, despite added versatility and customization potential. The Technology Group was dissolved in 2003.

Several versions of XyWrite were also localized for use in European countries. For example, the programs were offered in Germany under the name "euroscript" by North American Software GmbH.

Nota Bene

A descendant of XyWrite called Nota Bene is still being actively developed. Nota Bene, which runs on the XyWrite engine, is popular among academics. As of January 2020, Nota Bene for Windows is at version 12. NotaBene is supported on native Windows, Mac and on Linux running WINE.

Current usage

In 2015, work started on using XyWrite within the vDos program shell in 32 and 64 bit windows. This was successful in October 2016, resulting in an x86 PC and DOS emulator for Windows based on Jos Schaars's vDos. Formerly known as vDos-lfn, vDosPlus allows XyWrite 4, XyWrite III+, and Nota Bene for DOS to run under the latest versions of Microsoft Windows (including 64-bit Windows). VdosPlus.org shows the various functions, and XyWWWeb{{cite web| title=XyWWWeb |url=http://xywrite.org/xywwweb/ |access-date=15 October 2019}} shows usage.

XyWrite does not have as many features as Word or OpenOffice.org. For example, XyWrite is unaware of Windows ANSI or Unicode character sets and Nota Bene does not support languages (such as Chinese) that require double-byte characters.

Reception

Byte in 1984 stated "the XyQuest people have done an admirable job porting the editing part of the Atex system" to the IBM PC. While criticizing the documentation, it called XyWrite "extremely fast, powerful, compact, and flexible". The magazine reported in 1988 that XyWrite III Plus, "one of the most ill-behaved PC programs in existence", ran without problems on a Macintosh with SoftPC.

Version history

MS-DOS

  • XyWrite I
  • XyWrite II
  • XyWrite II Plus
  • XyWrite III,{{cite magazine | magazine = InfoWorld | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OS8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41 | title = Xywrite is fast but difficult | pages = 41–42 | first = Bernie | last = Zilbergeld | date = 14 April 1986 | volume = 8 | issue = 15
  • XyWrite III Plus{{cite magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6T4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72 | magazine = InfoWorld | title = Word Processing for Professionals and Offices | first = John | last = Lombardi | pages = 53–72 | date = 28 March 1988 | volume = 10 | issue = 13
  • Signature 1.0 - initially announced September 1989 as XyWrite 4.0.
  • XyWrite 4.0 - Jan 1993 - distributed on seven 3.5" HD floppy diskettes, and shipped with five bound manuals: Installation & Learning Guide, Making the Transition, Customization Guide, Command Reference Guide, and LAN Administrator's Guide (together weighing nearly 4.5 pounds)

Windows

  • XyWrite for Windows{{cite magazine | magazine = PC Magazine | title = XyWrite Enters Windows Word Processing Fray with DOS Roots | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XNt4ttAFAiwC&pg=PA59 | pages = 59–60 | date = 14 September 1993 | volume = 12 | issue = 15 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iruiJ9Ft5BsC&pg=PA54 | magazine = Computerworld | title = XyWrite for Windows set for August delivery | first = Michael | last = Vizard | pages = 54 | date = 28 June 1993 | volume = 27 | issue = 26

References

References

  1. Shannon, L. R.. (14 June 1988). "PERIPHERALS; Mastering XyWrite". [[New York Times]].
  2. Bender, Hy. (1994). "Essential Software for Writers". Writer's Digest Books.
  3. "Whatever became of XyQuest?".
  4. Malloy, Rich. (October 1984). "Reviewer's Notebook".
  5. Borchers, Detlef. (22 October 2019). "Eine kleine Geschichte der Textverarbeitung".
  6. "System requirements".
  7. (16 November 2019). "VDosPlus".
  8. "vDosPlus Home Page".
  9. Thompson, Tom. (July 1988). "A Real Virtual Machine Learning".

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1984-softwarewindows-word-processorsword-processorssoftware-programmed-in-assembly-language